


The Earth Below

by SarahJeanne



Category: Shelter (2007)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-10
Updated: 2010-10-10
Packaged: 2017-10-12 13:48:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/125523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahJeanne/pseuds/SarahJeanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zach finds his space in L.A.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Earth Below

The first few weeks after they move to L.A. are incredibly busy. The days are full of unpacking, organizing, shopping, getting Cody adjusted, and the futile effort to keep Cody in his own room for the whole night. By ten o'clock the only thing Zach wants to do is fall into bed next to Shaun and sleep. Especially since Cody will crawl into their bed at one a.m. and wake him up.

But after three weeks, when things start to settle down, Zach aches for his backyard studio looking up at the bridge. He feels the longing in his chest, too full of all these feelings he doesn't know how to get out any other way. He feels it in his fingers, too. He hasn't held a paintbrush in his hand for over a month now and his fingers twitch at the absence. The boxes of his art supplies are shoved in a corner of his and Shaun's bedroom, masked by the laundry that's been accumulating on top of them for a while. Zach's head turns to them automatically, whenever he walks in or out.

Even with the time to paint back, there's still no space. The apartment was going to be very comfortable for Shaun living on his own, but with two extra people -- one of them a five-year-old -- there's not even a spare corner. No yard either.

The solution doesn't occur to Zach until he and Cody are walking back from picking up a pizza and Cody points out a helicopter. Zach's eyes start to follow Cody's finger, but they land on the roof of their building instead of making it to the helicopter. Zach stares up, Cody spinning in his best imitation of a helicopter out of the corner of his eye, and feels all the pent up emotion start to loosen.

He waits a few days, until Shaun goes out one night to catch up with friends, to drag his stuff up there. He leaves one walkie-talkie and a note next to Cody's bed, sticks the other in his pocket, and heads to the roof.

He sets up in the corner with the best view and starts painting. As soon as the brush is in his hand, he can feel everything that's been locked inside since they moved flow right out. He paints their new neighborhood, specks of light forcing their way through the dark night-- but distorted. He's working from a distance, not close enough for the details to work themselves out.

"Hey," Zach hears, out of nowhere. He twitches, adding a streak of gray to the sky. "Sorry," Shaun says as Zach turns around to see him. "I don't want to interrupt, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I couldn't find you when I got home."

"I didn't think I'd be up here when you got home," Zach says. His voice cracks slightly on the first word. "What time is it?"

"Quarter-to-twelve."

"Man, I completely lost track of time."

Shaun smiles at him. "Feel good?"

"Amazing." Zach grins back at him.

"I'll get out of your way. But, I'll wait up?" Shaun looks at him for an answer.

"Stay. I'm almost done." Zach can feel Shaun walk up behind him when he turns back to his canvass. He works around the accidental brush stroke, until it fits with the rest of the piece. It still stands out a bit, but it's part of the scene.

Zach rests his brush down and leans back from the painting. Shaun's arms slip over his chest, pulling him back to lean against Shaun. Zach brings up his hands to twine their fingers together.

"It looks amazing, Zach." Shaun leans over so his mouth is right next to Zach's ear. "You're amazing," Shaun whispers.

Zach drops his chin to his chest and looks at the ground. "Shaun," he protests.

"Hey," Shaun warns, straightening.

Zach sighs, but tilts his head all the way back, resting the crown against Shaun's chest and looking up into Shaun's face. "Thanks."

"See? It's easier every time."

Zach rolls his eyes and pulls away to stand up.

"Can I help clean up?"

"In a minute." Zach steps up to Shaun and presses their mouths together. Shaun hums into the kiss as their tongues tangle and Zach rubs his fingers at the nape of Shaun's neck, up into his hair.

Zach tries to step even closer to Shaun; Shaun responds by wrapping his arms around Zach's back, pulling him in. Zach relishes in the feeling of Shaun's warm body pressed to his front while the breeze blows against his back. He brings their lips together again.

There's nothing but this moment, away and above.


End file.
